[H.Akston]

"Justice Thomas just commented in 'Newdow' that only the establishment clause of the 1st applied to Congress, and that all the rest of the rights mentioned are individual freedoms, not to be infringed upon by any level of government, fed/state/local.." - tpaine

"Makes sense to me"- tpaine

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. ",

How do you figure that applies to the states?

[tpaine]

H.Akston wrote:
How do you figure that applies to the states?

" -- prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." -- are clearly all individual personal rights.

Thus, the establishment clause of the 1st applied to the powers of States, in order to protect existing State religious institutions from Congressional infringements.